'Fringe' losing money for FOX: 'We're not in the business of losing money' says president

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“Fringe” fans have walked the anxiety line every season as FOX considers whether to hold onto the show, move it, or revamp it. At Sunday’s Television Critics Association press tour panel, FOX president Kevin Reilly admitted that “Fringe” renewal conversations have not yet begun.

An expensive but low-rated fan favorite, “Fringe” has always been in a precarious position on FOX, though its move to Friday nights last year certainly stabilized it a bit more. Still, Reilly admits that things aren’t looking great for the genre hit. “We lose a lot of money on the show,” he says, noting that with the current format and budget of the show it would be impossible for the network to turn a profit. “We’re not in the business of losing money.”

Reilly acknowledges that FOX has a history of disappointing fans of genre shows (here’s looking at you, Whedon fans), and hopes that “Fringe” fans give him credit for maneuvering to keep the show as long as he has.

Don’t give up too soon, though. Reilly says that he’s not giving the show a “soft cancel” — he’s genuinely hoping to find a way to continue it with a reduced budget. “Please don’t start the letter writing campaign right now, I can’t take it,” he says, promising that if this is the last season, it will have a satisfying ending.